Ilia Topuria stays on high at UFC 308
The Final Preventing Championship returned to us in the present day, October 26, 2024, for UFC 308, taking place stay from the Etihad Area in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Headlining the occasion was a featherweight title bout between present Ilia Topuria (16-0) and no. 2 ranked former champion Max Holloway (26-8).
Topuria got here into his first title protection in the present day having gone an ideal 7-0 by way of seven promotional outings, having defeated the likes of Youssef Zalal (UD), Damon Jackson (KO), Ryan Corridor (KO), Jai Herbert (KO), Bryce Mitchell (arm-triangle choke), Josh Emmett (UD), and Alexander Volkanovski (KO) when he captured the title earlier this yr at UFC 298.
Holloway then again got here into this night’s essential occasion on a three-fight win streak, having gone 18-3 by way of 21 featherweight bouts since 2013 (solely dropping title fights to Volkanovski), most not too long ago defeating Arnold Allen (UD), Chan Sung Jung (KO), and Justin Gaethje (KO) in his newest three appearances.
Proceed studying to see how our UFC 308 featherweight championship essential occasion went down:
Official End result: Ilia Topuria def. Max Holloway through KO (punches) at 1:34 of spherical three
Topuria pointed down on the middle of the octagon as soon as the bout started, simply as he acknowledged he’d do, although Holloway didn’t play into it. Topuria secured a pleasant takedown about 90 seconds in, although was unable to do something with it and Holloway started to choose him aside along with his slick putting because the opening spherical went on.
Topuria caught Holloway towards the tip of the spherical, although it appeared extra like a slip than a knockdown, ending the spherical on Holloway’s again.
Topuria landed a couple of stable leg kicks within the first as nicely, and continued kicking the lead leg of Holloway within the second the place he started to seek out his vary to land quite a lot of heavy punches, primarily his overhand proper and left hook. Holloway additionally continued touchdown quite a bit on him as nicely, throwing way more quantity than the champion.
Topuria damage Holloway with a vicious overhand proper within the third, unloading on him alongside the fence going to each the physique and the top with nasty combos earlier than Holloway circled off it. He wasn’t out of hazard nonetheless as Topuria adopted him and landed a left hook that completely floored the previous champion, following up with floor strikes for the knockout victory within the center stretch.
ILIA TOPURIA PUTS HOLLOWAY’S LIGHTS OUT OMG#UFC308 pic.twitter.com/SHUkYN6hZY
— ᴅ (@DRaps04) October 26, 2024
Ilia Topuria stays atop of the 145 lb division following a really spectacular efficiency this night at UFC 308. He turned the primary man to formally drop Max Holloway, and simply as he promised, he turned the primary man to ever cease him with strikes; all after making lovely mid-fight changes too, Holloway didn’t make it simple for him.
Who would you wish to see Ilia Topuria defend his title towards subsequent?
On the quick record isn’t any. 3 ranked Diego Lopes, who’s presently 26-6 as an expert and driving a five-fight win streak, and likewise no. 5 ranked Movsar Evloev (ought to he get previous Aljamain Sterling at UFC 310), who’s an ideal 18-0 by way of his profession up to now with an eight-fight win streak contained in the UFC’s featherweight division.
Six undefeated fighters entered the octagon in the present day at UFC 308, and 5 left undefeated: Farid Basharat, Shara Magomedov, Lerone Murphy, Khamzat Chimaev, and naturally, Ilia Topuria.
For those who loved this piece, be happy to share it on social media!
